Ever since his last remaining relative died, Country music star Trace Montgomery has avoided California, specifically his home town, Napa Valley. Trace can’t stand the memories.

Seven days before the holiday, he’s forced to return to wine country to sell the St. Helena Christmas tree farm he inherited from his uncle.

With his sidekick guitar Lola nearby, a past love, the one that got away, falls into his arms while trying to turn a vineyard bunny sculpture into a reindeer. Now, Trace can’t stop thinking about her. He’s making up naughty lyrics to Christmas songs…

Single mom, Monique Jacobson doesn’t have time for a bath, never mind a romance. She’s working hard to secure a promotion and pay raise from Santino Winery that will allow her and her daughter to move out of Nana’s little B&B.

St. Helena and Napa Valley hotels are booked for the holiday, and Monique finds Trace hold up with her and her daughter at her gran’s Napa B&B for a Christmas in wine country. Will they rediscover the love they lost and rekindle Christmas magic under the mistletoe?

*Kissing Mr. Mistletoe is a standalone read. Although you may recognize some of the names, this Christmas gem features its own cast of lovable and sexy characters.

Trace scolded himself for bringing up the past with Monique. With limited time in St. Helena he should be focusing on settling his uncle’s estate. Yet he couldn’t help asking the question he’d only guessed the answer to for years. He appreciated her honesty. He had a feeling

Monique didn’t trust that his feelings for her were real. He agreed his career fast-tracked quickly. He could barely keep up with the demands himself. And he understood why she’d been reluctant to leave with him. At the time, her mom and dad were still living in St. Helena. But, when Monique confessed she might not ever be able to trust him, it flat out shocked him. On the other hand, her sweet lips and sexy mouth gave him an entirely different story when they kissed. Trace ran a hand through his hair.

Mountains of paper, overflowing trash on the floor, and at least twenty dirty coffee cups added another level to his unrelenting distraction. Why Napa Pines and Wines employees referred to the filthy eight by eight broom closet Trace had commandeered as an office was anyone’s guess. The meeting with Jim Hill, the accountant Michael Santino had recommended, hadn’t gone well this morning.

Ella Fitzgerald’s dulcet pipes crooned “Winter Wonderland” outside the open door, lifting his spirit. As the music filtered in from the gift shop, thoughts of Monique’s mouth seeped back into his brain. Instead of concentrating on organizing the desk as he’d planned, Trace invented lyrics to Ella’s song to distract himself from thinking about her. He dumped another stack of junk mail into the recycle bin. Monique’s eyes are a glistening. . . Her sexy lips I was kissing. . .

Trace gathered the handful of binders Jim Hill left behind and shoved them back into the cabinet. Her body so tight. . . I want more tonight . . . Kissing a Monique wonderland… He slammed the cabinet drawer shut and stared at the popcorn ceiling.

“Did you guys ever get any mistletoe?” At the sound of her voice, Trace kicked the cardboard file boxes out of the way and rushed to the door. He poked his head out.

Clad in a navy blue dressy coat, Monique stood in front of the register with her back to him. She must store that cute hat in the car because he definitely would’ve noticed the blue beanie with the fuzzy ball on top if she’d worn it this morning.

“So you missed me.” Trace entered the gift shop. She spun around and he appreciated the sparks of surprise dancing in her eyes. All day long, he’d imagined every nuance of her lips he could remember. And like an answer to a prayer, or a light switching on in a dark broom closet, there it was. Trace scolded himself for bringing up the past with Monique. With limited time in St. Helena, he should be focusing on settling his uncle’s estate. Yet he couldn’t help asking the question he’d only guessed the answer to for years. He appreciated her honesty. He had a feeling Monique didn’t trust that his feelings for her were real. He agreed his career fast-tracked quickly. He could barely keep up with the demands himself. And he understood why she’d been reluctant to leave with him. At the time, her mom and dad were still living in St. Helena. But, when Monique confessed she might not ever be able to trust him, it flat out shocked him. On the other hand, her sweet lips and sexy mouth gave him an entirely different story when they kissed. Trace ran a hand through his hair.

Mountains of paper, overflowing trash on the floor, and at least twenty dirty coffee cups added another level to his unrelenting distraction. Why Napa Pines and Wines employees referred to the filthy eight by eight broom closet Trace had commandeered as an office was anyone’s guess. The meeting with Jim Hill, the accountant Michael Santino had recommended, hadn’t gone well this morning.

Ella Fitzgerald’s dulcet pipes crooned “Winter Wonderland” outside the open door, lifting his spirit. As the music filtered in from the gift shop, thoughts of Monique’s mouth seeped back into his brain. Instead of concentrating on organizing the desk as he’d planned, Trace invented lyrics to Ella’s song to distract himself from thinking about her. He dumped another stack of junk mail into the recycle bin. Monique’s eyes are a glistening… Her sexy lips I was kissing… Trace gathered the handful of binders Jim Hill left behind and shoved them back into the cabinet. Her body so tight… I want more tonight… Kissing a Monique wonderland… He slammed the cabinet drawer shut and stared at the popcorn ceiling.

“Did you guys ever get any mistletoe?” At the sound of her voice, Trace kicked the cardboard file boxes out of the way and rushed to the door. He poked his head out.

Clad in a navy blue dressy coat, Monique stood in front of the register with her back to him. She must store that cute hat in the car because he definitely would’ve noticed the blue beanie with the fuzzy ball on top, if she’d worn it this morning.

“So you missed me.” Trace entered the gift shop. She spun around and he appreciated the sparks of surprise dancing in her eyes. All day long, he’d imagined every nuance of her lips he could remember. And like an answer to a prayer, or a light switching on in a dark broom closet, there it was.

About Kate Kisset:

Kate Kisset, Contemporary romance author

Former San Francisco radio disc jockey Kate Kisset is passionate about telling great stories.

After playing thousands of Pop, Country, Rock and Oldies tunes, for her primarily female fan base, she changed her tune and became an author.

Just a Kiss is the first book in her Napa Vineyard romance series, The Single Girls Wine Club.

She lives in Northern California and Santa Barbara with her family and rescue pup “editor” Luciana Parmigiana, where she hikes, reads, listens to music, and drinks wine.